Friday, December 12, 2008

Normally Fergie is first to open his mouth (normally only long enough to take breaths in-between swigging from the whisky bottle), but Rafa's trying his hand at this psycho-babble, and early too! (Though if Jose were still in the league, he'd have started back in September).

So Rafa thinks his side need a miracle to win the EPL. Brutal, shocking honesty? Headgames with his rivals? Attempts to temper expectations ahead of the xmas break? You decide.

I read that and it almost felt like a well-written Onion article meant to piss off Liverpool fans (particularly the part about him talking to the Sun). Is this a precursor to the rumored jump to Juventus?

Georger: the whole thing does feel very early-April-Fool's, to be sure, and I'm not surprised Soccernet ran with such hyperbole. At this point, I take nothing any manager says seriously, especially those battling at the top. They all just love to fuck with one another.

Sarah: :(

Magnakai: I cannot see Rafa heading to Juve, especially with a 4-year contract extension worth over 15 million pounds on the table (and they're agreed on price/contract size, just ironing out minor details), although this article is just so baffling. There are so many ways to read it and interpret it.

Oh look they bumped it once LFC refuted the story, but I doubt they'll report on that aspect of it.

Also, Arsenal have already lost to two promoted teams, Chelsea's best player got suspended for throwing shit at fans, and United lost to LIVERPOOL; I'd say there has been a fair amount of slippage already this season.

LB: The only reason I could see him leaving (and I'm not sure I'd leave for Juve, either) would be that he knows something about the finances that we don't and wants to get out before he's stuck having to sell players he's worked to accumulate. That contract extension's been going on forever, which is slightly worrisome.

Update: Soccernet pulled the article and replaced it with one about Benitez being 'defiant' over the title chances. However they did see fit to post an article by Raynor this afternoon about the manufactured quotes without any mention of the refutation. Top notch work over there.